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{{short description|Portuguese Catholic priest and pioneer of hypnotism (1756–1819)}}
{{Other uses|L'Abbé (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[Abbé]] ([[Abbot]])
| name = Faria
| native_name = {{Lang|pt|Abade José Custódio de Faria}}
| image = ABBE FARIA.jpg
| caption = Statue of Faria next to the Old Secretariat in [[Panaji]], [[India]].
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1756|5|31|df=yes}}
| birth_name = José Custódio de Faria
| birth_place = [[Candolim]], [[Goa]], [[Portuguese India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1819|9|20|1756|5|31|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Montmartre]], [[Paris]], [[Kingdom of France]]
| death_cause =
| resting_place =
| monuments =
| other_names =
| education =
| website = {{URL|abbefaria.com}}
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Catholic priest
| known_for = Scientific study of [[Hypnosis|hypnotism]]
| notable_works = ''Da Causa do Sono Lúcido no Estudo da Natureza do Homem''
}}

'''[[Abbé]] Faria''' ({{Langx|pt|'''Abade Faria'''}}) (born '''José Custódio de Faria'''; 31 May 1756 – 20 September 1819) was a Portuguese [[Catholic priest]] who was one of the pioneers of the [[Science|scientific study]] of [[hypnotism]], following on from the work of [[Franz Mesmer]]. Unlike Mesmer, who claimed that hypnosis was mediated by "[[animal magnetism]]", Faria understood that it worked purely by the power of [[suggestion]]. In the early 19th century, Abbé Faria introduced [[oriental hypnosis]] to [[Paris]].

Faria was one of the first to depart from the theory of the "magnetic fluid", to place in relief the importance of suggestion, and to demonstrate the existence of "[[autosuggestion]]"; he also established that what he termed ''nervous sleep'' belongs to the natural order. From his earliest [[magnet therapy|magnetizing]] [[séance]]s, in 1814, he boldly developed his doctrine. Nothing comes from the magnetizer; everything comes from the subject and takes place in his [[imagination]] generated from within the mind. Magnetism is only a form of [[sleep]]. Although of the moral order, the magnetic action is often aided by physical, or rather by physiological, means–fixedness of look and cerebral fatigue.

Faria changed the terminology of mesmerism. Previously, the focus was on the "concentration" of the subject. In Faria's terminology the operator became "the concentrator" and [[somnambulism]] was viewed as a lucid sleep. The method of hypnosis used by Faria is command, following expectancy. The theory of Abbé Faria is now known as '''Fariism'''. Later, [[Ambroise-Auguste Liébeault]] (1864–1904), the founder of the [[Nancy School]], and [[Émile Coué]] (1857–1926), father of applied [[Classical conditioning|conditioning]], developed the theory of [[suggestion]] and [[autosuggestion]] and began using them as therapeutic tools. [[Johannes Heinrich Schultz|Johannes Schultz]] developed these theories as [[Autogenic training]].

==Early life==
José Custódio de Faria was born in [[Candolim]], [[Bardes]] ''[[concelho]]'' in the erstwhile territory of [[Portuguese India|Portuguese Goa]], on 31 May 1756. He was the son of Caetano Vitorino de Faria of [[Colvale]], and Rosa Maria de Sousa of [[Candolim]]. He also had an adopted sister, Catarina who was an orphan. Caetano was in turn a descendant of Anantha [[Shenoy]], a [[Goud Saraswat Brahmin]] (GSB), village clerk and [[Patil (title)|Patil]] of the same village who converted to Christianity in 1583.<ref>Indian Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 16, 1974, University of California, p. 307</ref> He was a [[Goan Catholic]] of the ''[[Roman Catholic Brahmin|Bamonn]]'' caste,<ref>[http://www.abbefaria.com/Abbe%20Faria%20Conspiracy.htm ABBÉ FARIA and the CONSPIRACY of 1787] – Prof. Alfredo de Mello, Abbefaria.com, "Caetano Victorino de Faria, a Brahmin Christian, born in Colvale, in the north of Bardez district, just on the south bank of the river Chapora, devoted himself to ecclesiastical studies when young."</ref><ref name="Bradnock">Robert Bradnock, Roma Bradnock, ''Footprint Goa Handbook: The Travel Guide'', Footprint Travel Guides, 2002, {{ISBN|978-1-903471-22-7}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=pWAnvOJD1qwC&pg=PA57 Google Print, p. 57] "Abbé José Custodio Faria was born on May 30, 1756, in Candolim, just inland of Calangute. His family claimed descent from Brahmins in Colvale, but his parents separated after his birth, his mother becoming a nun and his father a priest."</ref> and was also of partial European and African maternal descent.<ref>{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=M. N. |title=The Portuguese in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XLPnkqwzDYC|date=2 November 2006|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-02850-9}}</ref>

Since his parents fought all the time, they decided to separate and obtained the Church's dispensation. Caetano Vitorino joined the [[seminary]] to study for the [[priest]]hood (he had already taken lower orders before his marriage). Rosa Maria became a [[nun]], joining the St. Monica Convent in [[Old Goa]].

==Move to Lisbon==
Faria's father, Caetano, had great ambition for himself and his son. Hence, Faria reached [[Lisbon]], [[Kingdom of Portugal]] on, 23 December 1771 with his father at the age of 15. After a year they managed to convince the [[List of Portuguese monarchs|King of Portugal]], [[Joseph I of Portugal|Joseph I]], to send them to [[Rome]] for Faria Sr. to earn a [[doctorate]] in [[theology]], and the son to pursue his studies for the [[Clergy|priesthood]].

Eventually, the son too earned his doctorate, dedicating his [[Doctor of Philosophy|doctoral thesis]] to the Portuguese Queen, [[Mary I of Portugal]], and another study, on the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]] to the [[Pope]]. Apparently the pope was sufficiently impressed to invite José Custódio to preach a [[sermon]] in the [[Sistine Chapel]], which he himself attended.

On his return to Lisbon, the Queen was informed by the [[Nuncio]] of the Pope's honour to Faria Jr. So, she too invited the young priest to preach to her as well, in her chapel. But Faria, climbing the pulpit, and seeing the august assembly felt tongue tied. At that moment his father, who sat below the pulpit, whispered to him in [[Konkani language|Konkani]]: ''Hi sogli baji; cator re baji'' (they are all [[vegetables]], cut the vegetables). Jolted, the son lost his fear and preached fluently.

Faria Jr., from then on, often wondered how a mere phrase from his father could alter his state of mind so radically as to wipe off his stage fright in a second. The question would have far reaching consequences in his life.

==Participation in Pinto Revolt==
Faria was implicated in the [[Conspiracy of the Pintos]] during 1787, and left for France in 1788. He stayed in [[Paris]] residing at Rue de Ponceau.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

==Later years in France==
In Paris, Faria became a leader of one of the [[French Revolution|revolutionary battalions]] in 1795, taking command of one of the sections of the infamous ''10 of the [[Vendémiaire]]'', which attacked the [[National Convention|French Convention]], taking an active part in its fall. As a result, he established links with individuals like [[François-René de Chateaubriand|Chateaubriand]], the [[Marquis de Custine]]. He was also a friend of [[Armand-Marie-Jacques de Chastenet, Marques of Puységur]] (a disciple of [[Franz Anton Mesmer]]), to whom he dedicated his book ''Causas do Sono Lúcido'' ("On the Causes of Lucid Sleep").

In 1811, he was appointed [[Professor]] of [[Philosophy]] at the [[List of universities in France|University of France]] at [[Nîmes]], and was elected member of the ''Société Medicale de Marseille'' at Marseille.

In 1813, Faria realised that [[animal magnetism]] was gaining importance in Paris and returned to Paris and started promoting a new doctrine. He provoked unending controversies with his work ''Da Causa do Sono Lúcido no Estudo da Natureza do Homem'' (On the cause of Lucid Sleep in the Study of the Nature of Man), published in Paris in 1819 and was soon accused of being a charlatan.

He retired as [[chaplain]] to an obscure religious establishment, and died of a stroke in Paris on 30 September 1819. He left behind no addresses {{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} and his grave remains unmarked and unknown, somewhere in [[Montmartre]].

==Legacy==
[[File:AbaDeFaria.JPG|thumb|Statue of Faria at [[Panjim]], Goa]]
There is a [[bronze]] statue of Faria trying to hypnotise a woman in central [[Panjim]], [[Goa]], India (next to the former [[Government of Goa|Government Secretariat]] or [[Idalcão]] palace). It was sculpted in 1945 by [[Ramchandra Pandurang Kamat]] or earlier by Constâncio Fernandes.<ref>{{cite book |title=Reflected in Water |editor-last=Pinto |editor-first=Jerry |authorlink=Jerry Pinto |publisher=Penguin Books India |year=2006 |isbn=978-0143100812 }}</ref> Portugal commemorated the 250th anniversary of Faria's birth in May 2006 by releasing a postcard and stamp (featuring his statue in Panjim, India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ABBE FARIA |url=http://www.abbefaria.com/index2.htm |access-date=2026-03-05 |website=www.abbefaria.com}}</ref> A street in the [[Areeiro, Lisbon|Areeiro]] zone of Lisbon is also named in his honour.

An authentic caricature of him is preserved in the National Library of Paris.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Mundo Goa|publisher=Singbal's book house|year=2014|editor-last=Britto|editor-first=Nigel|location=Goa|editor2-last=Menezes|editor2-first=Vivek}}</ref> A prominent thoroughfare in the city of [[Margao]] in Goa, India is named ''Rua Abade Faria'' (Abbé Faria Street) in his honour.<ref>{{cite web |title=Great Goans: Abbé Faria (1756 – 1819) |url=https://www.veenapatwardhan.com/greatgoansabbefaria17561819.html |website=Veena Patwardhan}}</ref> On this street, there was an educational institution called ''Instituto Abade Faria'' which imparted Portuguese language secondary school education known as "Lyceum studies", consisting of First Year to Fifth Year classes. It ceased to function after the [[liberation of Goa]].

French novelist [[Alexandre Dumas]]' 1844 novel ''[[The Count of Monte Cristo]]'' features a prominent character named [[Abbé Faria (The Count of Monte Cristo)|Abbé Faria]], who was imprisoned in the [[Château d'If]] in solitary confinement, and he learned a certain self-control while imprisoned. Otherwise, the character does not have a strong resemblance to his historical analogue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CMN |title=History of the château d'If - CMN |url=https://www.chateau-if.fr/en/discover/history-of-the-chateau-d-if |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=www.chateau-if.fr |language=en-GB}}</ref>

''Abbé Faria'', a play by Indian writer [[Asif Currimbhoy]], dramatizes Faria's life and views as a revolutionary priest and premier hypnotist. It was published by Writers Workshop.<ref>{{cite book |title=Abbe Faria |first=Asif |last=Currimbhoy |work=Writers Workshop |location=Calcutta |url=https://openlibrary.org/b/OL1056393M/Abbe_Faria |isbn=978-8171894413 |year=1992 }}</ref> [[Jaime Valfredo Rangel]] presented a paper in tribute of his 200th birth anniversary to the [[List of governors of Portuguese India|Governor of Portuguese India]], [[Paulo Bernard Guedes]].

The Institute of Clinical Hypnosis and Counselling was established in the Indian state of [[Kerala]] as a memorial to Faria.

''Kator Re Bhaji'', is a play was written and directed by [[Isabel de Santa Rita Vas]] and performed by the Mustard Seed Art Company, an [[Indian theatre]] troupe from Goa, which celebrated the 250th anniversary of Faria's birth.<ref>
{{Citation | first = Lee | last = Siegel | author-link = Lee Siegel (professor and novelist | title = Trance-Migrations: Stories of India, Tales of Hypnosis| place = Chicago | publisher = The University of Chicago Press | year = 2014| page = 103| isbn = 9780226185323| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nC-OBAAAQBAJ&q=Trance-Migrations:+Stories+of+India,+Tales+of+Hypnosis}}</ref> Laurent Carrer included the first English translation of Faria's single tome, originally written in French as ''De la cause du sommeil lucide ou Etude de la nature de l’homme'' (''On the Cause of Lucid Sleep or Study On The Nature of Man'') in his 2004 ''José Custódio de Faria: Hypnotist, Priest and Revolutionary''.

==Further reading==
# [[Egas Moniz|Moniz, A. Egas]], ''O Padre Faria na história do hipnotismo'' (Abbé Faria in the history of hypnotism), [[Lisbon]]: Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, 1925.
# Dalgado, D.G., ''Memoire sur la vie de l'Abbé Faria'', Paris, 1906.
# Charles. J. Borges, ''Goa and the revolt of 1787''.
# [https://www.pnl-nlp.org/download/faria/ Digitised copy of Abbé Faria's original manuscript "De la cause du sommeil lucide"] (original version in French) – Preface by D.G. Dalgado – Paris 1906 – courtesy of Dr. Paret. A copiously annotated English translation of this work, including Dalgado's preface, can be found in Laurent Carrer's "[https://www.amazon.com/translated-annotated-Translated-Pioneers-Hypnosis-ebook/dp/B098RBTGT7/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Abbe+faria&qid=1625778891&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 On the Cause of Lucid Sleep]," now available as a Kindle eBook on Amazon.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090207033726/http://www.colaco.net/AbeFaria.htm Commemorative postcard], honouring the Abbé's 250th Anniversary.
* [http://www.abbefaria.com Tribute website].
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090401163854/http://ww1.rtp.pt/multimedia/index.php?tvprog=20155 Short documentary].
* [https://archive.org/stream/marvelsbeyondsci00grasrich/marvelsbeyondsci00grasrich_djvu.txt Marvels Beyond Science].

{{The Count of Monte Cristo}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Faria, Abbe}}
[[Category:1756 births]]
[[Category:1819 deaths]]
[[Category:18th-century French Roman Catholic priests]]
[[Category:18th-century Portuguese Roman Catholic priests]]
[[Category:19th-century French Roman Catholic priests]]
[[Category:Catholic Church in popular culture]]
[[Category:French hypnotists]]
[[Category:Goan Catholics]]
[[Category:Konkani people]]
[[Category:People from North Goa district]]
[[Category:People of the French Revolution]]
[[Category:Portuguese people of Goan descent]]
[[Category:Scholars from Goa]]
[[Category:Scientists from Goa]]
[[Category:Catholic clergy scientists]]

Abbé Faria - Revision history

Robertoson at 01:05, 5 April 2026